Picture Books about Birds

Looking for some picture books about birds? If so, great! Today I’m sharing a fantastic bird book list for preschoolers through early elementary.

When we first started homeschool, we decided we would try to learn the names of the birds that frequent our backyard.

We picked up an an Audubon Society Field Guide, scattered some bird seed on the fence that faced our back door, and began watching.

I was amazed how quickly they learned to tell the Junco from the Black-Capped Chickadee. Being able to name the type of bird really gave them an interest in birds they hadn’t had before. (Now they are much quicker to notice new birds that visit our yard.)

Here are some of our favorite picture books about birds and their habits.

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A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston

This book is by the same author as A Seed is Sleepy and An Egg is Quiet. Along with the beautiful illustrations, you will find it very informative about nests of all kinds.

Paddle, Perch, Climb: Bird Feet are Neat by Laurie Ellen Angus

You can learn a lot about a bird by looking at its feet! This book highlights these different characteristics and prompts its readers to be more observant of bird’s feet.

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

This is a sweet little book about a baby bird who tries to find his mother. After searching high and low, he finally discovers her.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

This is a gentle, poetic story about a little boy who goes owling with his father: Informative, great illustrations, lots of sensory words, and rich vocabulary!

Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward

This book teaches about various birds and their ways of nesting. Poetic story line and facts included separately.

“I do believe that something very magical can happen when you read a good book.” -J.K. Rowling

The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson

This is the classic tale of the ugly duckling who grew into a beautiful swan. While we found the illustrations to be a bit lack-luster, the story line was still engaging and definitely worthwhile.

The Boy Who Drew Birds: The Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davis

This is a great book to introduce your kids to John Audubon, his life and his amazing work with birds.

Baby Wren and the Great Gift by Sally Lloyd Jones

This is a cute little story about a baby wren and it’s journey to discovering it’s new world.

Bird Builds a Nest by Martin Jenkins

This is a cool book that teaches kids about physical forces such as gravity, using the life of a bird.

Peggy by Anna Walker

This is a simple, fun story about a hen and her adventure away from the safety of her coop.

The Big Book of Birds by Yuval Zommer

With big, beautiful, and bright illustrations paired with non-fiction, bite-sized facts about birds, this book is a great resource for kids to get to know the different types of birds.

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Follow Mr. and Mrs. Mallard around as they find the perfect place to raise their family. (This book is absolutely charming and is definitely considered a family favorite.)

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Three little owl babies wake to find their mother gone. They hear things and see things that get them worried, but they soon realize that mama always comes back.

Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant

With very basic text and simple illustrations this book is a sweet little read for really young kids. There wasn’t a in depth story line, which is why I would say this one wasn’t really a favorite.

No Two Alike by Keith Baker

I loved this cute little rhyming book! Two birds explore a winter wonderland and discover so many things (snowflakes, branches, etc) that are the same but different. (Great read for toddlers and preschool age)

Best Picture Books About Birds for Preschool

Here are some of the bird books above that would be great for toddlers and preschool aged kids. They are short and sweet. (I’ve linked these titles to thriftbooks.com which is one of my favorite sites to buy cheap books online.)

No Two Alike by Keith Baker
Little Penguins by Cynthia Rylant
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
Baby Wren and the Great Gift by Sally Lloyd Jones
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
Peggy by Anna Walker

Find More Books

Keep reading! You can check out our book list page for more great book options or jump straight to one of these lists:

What are you favorite picture books about birds?

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.

Picture Books about Birds